Pokemon CrystalPublisher: Nintendo
Developer: Game Freak
System: Gameboy Color
Release: July 29, 2001, US
StoryIf you've played in other Pokemon game, and chances are that you have, then the story of Crystal is basically the same. You play as a Pokemon trainer and your goal is to get the 8 badges of the Johto Region and clear the Pokemon League, while taking down Team Rocket along the way. A couple of side plots are also exclusive to Crystal, including one about Suicune and the Unowns.
Sound 12/15
Crystal basically has a lot of re used themes throughout the previous entries in the Pokemon series, and some new ones as well. The battle music is always catchy, and there are new tunes for gym leader battles and the elite four. Some of the best music is during the elite four battles, and against the champion of the elite four. Sound effect wise, Crystal still uses the same cries when Pokemon are sent out, and most of the attacks sound the same.
Graphics 14/20
Crystal has some of the best looking graphics for a Gameboy Color game. There are a lot of eye catching colors in every environment, and it looks great. For the Pokemon themselves, the sprites have been updated and look better than the have before. A new feature was added to Crystal version-- when enemy Pokemon appear in a battle they perform a little movement while they make their cry. Each little movement is unique to every Pokemon, and this set the way for more sophisticated ones in later Pokemon games. The drawback to the graphics though, is that the sprites for people, buildings, and stuff of that nature, all look the same as previous games only now in better color.
Appeal 24/25
In Pokemon games the main objective is to beat the Pokemon League and catch all the Pokemon. Along with the Pokemon from the Kanto region, there are all new ones in the Johto region. If you're into catching all the Pokemon, then you can spend literally your enire life trying to catch them all. After you get all 8 gym badges and beat the Pokemon League, you can then go to the Kanto region and beat the original 8 gyms. So it isn't super easy, the original Kanto gyms are at high levels. Once you get those extra 8 badges, players are allowed entrance into Silver Mountain, where they can catch a Lavendar and battle Ash. Exclusive to Crystal version, is the battle tower. In the battle tower players fight trainers on each floor of the tower and try to get to the top to win a prize.
Gameplay 37/40
All the classic Pokemon gameplay is here: catching Pokemon, battling, the whole deal. Catching Pokemon is done in the same fasion as every other Pokemon game-- you weaken the wild Pokemon and throw a Pokeball to try and catch it. There are still the standard Pokeballs: regular, Great, Ultra, and the Master ball. New to the Johto games are Pokeballs made from acorns, which add different abilities, such as higher chance of catching a water type. Speaking of types, all the same ones from the previous entries are here, with a few new ones like metal and ice. Battling is also the same: turn based one vs one Pokemon battles. Like in the other games, type advantages and disadvantages are here, so strategy still plays a huge role. As always, there are TMs and HMs. Most of the same ones are still here, and there are a few new ones like the HM Waterfall.
Overall 87/100
Even though we now have newer Pokemon versions like Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum that are far superior to this game, Crystal is still great. The long main story of this game adds great amounts of time to the gameplay, because you can go back to Kanto and go through the original 8 gym leaders. In my opinion, the Johto region had the best Pokemon out of any version. If you haven't already played this game, do so now.
Review by Zephyr
